** 2024 Commencement Updates **

** 2024 Commencement Updates **

Academic Amnesty

Academic Amnesty

Academic amnesty is for undergraduate students who once attended New Mexico Highlands but stopped matriculation because of poor grades and/or they were placed on academic probation or dismissal. Students can return to Highlands and, once they have been granted amnesty, their earlier grades are not used in the grade point average (GPA). Academic amnesty enables a student to attain a sufficient GPA for college graduation. A student’s financial aid can be affected by academic amnesty, so he or she should consult the Financial Aid Office. Students expelled from Highlands for violation of the Student Code of Conduct, or federal, state, or local laws are not eligible for academic amnesty.

A student must meet all of the following conditions to be granted academic amnesty:

  • Took courses from Highlands University and then stopped matriculation for five years or more because of poor grades (GPA less than 2.0), academic probation or dismissal.
  • Applies for academic amnesty through the Registrar’s Office. A student can apply for academic amnesty only once. A student is readmitted to Highlands University on academic probation after application for amnesty is approved.
  • Completes the first 24 credit hours at Highlands University with a GPA of 2.0 or better.
  • Once the first 24 credit hours are successfully completed, then academic amnesty is granted, and:
  • All courses taken during the earlier matriculation at Highlands University, even courses with a grade of C or better, will be excluded from GPA calculation.
  • Courses with a grade of C or better from the initial matriculation period can be carried forward as earned credit and used to meet degree requirements.
  • Courses from the earlier matriculation period remain on the student’s Highlands University transcript, but the transcript will bear the statement “Academic Amnesty Granted”.

A student will be academically dismissed from Highlands University for failure to attain a GPA of 2.0 in the first 24 credit hours after application for academic amnesty.